Romney's new house in Utah has hidden room

AP , Associated Press

Oct. 23, 20138:31 PM ET

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A new house Mitt Romney is building in Utah is not only spacious and luxurious, but it's also a little mysterious.

Al Hartmann

This undated photo shows the real estate sign on street at 2151 East 5340 South in Holladay, Utah. Mitt Romney is building a home at that address. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Al Hartmann) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT; MAGS OUT

This undated photo shows the real estate sign on street at 2151 East 5340 South in Holladay, Utah. Mitt Romney is building a home at that address. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Al Hartmann) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT; MAGS OUT

This undated photo shows the private tree-lined driveway near Walker Lane, in Holladay, Utah, where Mitt Romney said he is planning to build a home. His study features a book case that swivels open and leads into secret room, The Salt Lake Tribune reports, based on records it obtained. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Al Hartmann) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT; MAGS OUT

This undated photo provided by Matt Canham shows a drawing of Mitt Romney's soon-to-be constructed home in Holladay, Utah. Romney's study features a book case that swivels open and leads into secret room, The Salt Lake Tribune reports, based on records it obtained. (AP Photo/Matt Canham)

This undated photo provided by Matt Canham shows a drawing of Mitt Romney's soon-to-be constructed home in Holladay, Utah. Romney's study features a book case that swivels open and leads into secret room, The Salt Lake Tribune reports, based on records it obtained. (AP Photo/Matt Canham)

The home's study will have a bookcase that swivels open and leads into a hidden room, according to architecture plans obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/1a0wGL9 ). The drawings say the room is for office storage, and show it is 11-feet long with cabinets.

It's not the first time plans for a Romney home include attention-grabbing features. Drawings for renovations on a waterfront house in La Jolla, Calif., include a split-level garage with a car elevator.

The Tribune reports the 5,900-square-foot house in the Salt Lake City suburb of Holladay will be the fifth home for the former Republican presidential candidate. He recently bought an 8,700-square-foot home that has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms in the Utah mountain resort town of Park City. He also has homes in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

The planning documents for the new Utah house show it listed as a home for Romney's wife, Ann Romney. The home sits on an acre of land next to a home being built by their son, Josh Romney, the Tribune reports.

The home is called a "new farmhouse" in drawings approved by city officials. The house will have vertical wood siding, wood shutters on the windows and large sliding barn doors. The property will have several lawns, a fountain, terraces, a gazebo and a spa.

The Tribune obtained the plans through an open records request.

A Mitt Romney spokeswoman reached via email would not comment on the blueprint.

Romney now will have two homes in Utah, where he has family ties going back several generations and where he came in 1999 to help the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City recover from a bribery scandal.